Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (hereinafter referred to as “VCSELs”) have become the dominant light source for optical transmitters used in short-reach local area networks and storage area network applications, in which a multi-mode optical fiber is used for data transmission. VCSELs are low cost micro-cavity devices with high speed, low drive current and low power dissipation, with desirable beam properties that significantly simplify their optical packaging and testing. In order to extend the application of VCSELs to higher speed applications, the VCSEL must be capable of operating reliably at about 10 GHz.
Prior art VCSELs which include an oxide confinement may operate at 10 GHz, but they suffer from poor reliability. Prior art implanted VCSEL's typically operate at about 2 GHz, but are much more reliable than VCSEL's with oxide confinement.
The speed of an ion implanted VCSEL is limited by several factors. One factor is the lack of a good index guide. Another factor is from a size limitation due to a deep implant where the typical implant depth may be more than three microns. Further, the implant has a distribution with a large straggle and a large standard deviation. With a large implant distribution and the poor current confinement of a heavily doped mirror, the size is typically more than 20 microns wherein the speed is limited to less than 2 GHz. Hence, it is desirable to provide an ion implanted VCSEL with a dielectric mirror which may operate reliably at 10 GHz.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved implanted VCSELs that operate reliably at high frequencies.
It is another object of the present invention to provide new and improved ion implanted VCSELs with substantially improved current spreading and, therefore, better efficiency.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of fabricating ion implanted VCSELs with substantially improved current spreading.